When You Know
by Guard24
Summary: Emma has a question for Mary Margaret


"Mom, can I ask you something?" Emma glances up from her mug of hot chocolate to her mother on the other side of the counter.

"Of course." Mary Margaret took a sip of her tea before mimicking her daughter and setting it down.

Emma ponders her next words. It feels childish, naive almost, no matter how she words it. In the past, she's never had anyone to talk about this with, anyone to look up to, let alone accept guidance from. When she opens her mouth to speak, silence pursues. She tries again. Same result.

"Emma, honey, what is it?"

"When did you know that you were in love with dad?" Emma blurts out.

The question throws her off ever so slightly, not accustomed to heart-to-hearts with her daughter. It was a welcomed surprise. "Why do you ask?"

"I - you know what, never mind."

"No, Emma, tell me." Snow pauses, looks at her daughter she reaches for her hand. "You're trying to figure out if you love Hook or not?"

"No….maybe?"

"He's definitely in love with you."

"I know." Emma smiles, directing her gaze to the ground; anything to not look in her eyes. "You know he traded the Jolly Roger for me? Well not _for me_ for me, he traded it for a magic bean so he could bring me back to Storybrooke."

"What?" she gasped. It wasn't a question, but more of a conformation. "I always wondered what happened but never thought. . ."

"He told me after we came back from the past." Emma fidgets with the cinnamon stick, swirling it around in the opaque mug. "He's sacrificed so much for me and I haven't done anything…"

"Well, I can't speak for Ho-Killian, but I have a strong feeling that just _being_ with you is enough for him. I don't think he needs some grand gesture in return. . . Did I ever tell you what exactly your father did that made me realize I couldn't spend another day without him?"

"No, but I'm sure it included finding you." Emma says with a hint of sarcasm. Her father's words rung in her ears. _Wherever you are I will always find._

Snow laughed. "Well, yes. Of course it does. But no that's not exactly it. After I met your father, King George threatened me," She scoffed. "Actually he threatened David…

_I'll kill him. Killing you will just make him love you more. And the marriage and the kingdom will ultimately crumble. But if he were to die at an assassin's hand, he would die a martyr. Midas will forgive even laud the death and the merger would be complete_

"So, I told him I didn't love him. It was the second most painful thing I've ever had to do. And I went to Gold. He gave me a forgetting potion."

"And that's when you realized you loved him? Because not being with him but knowing he was alive was better than being with him and knowing he could die?"

"I loved him then, but that wasn't the moment. After the potion took effect, I was a really angry and mean person - and I didn't even care. So, I decided to grab my bow and kill Regina.

"_What are you doing? Why would you do this?!"_

"_Well, because you said you appreciate action more than words. So now you're going to get both. I love you, Snow."_

"_But I don't love you. I don't even remember you!"_

"_Well I don't care. The only thing I care about is you don't forget who you really are. I would rather die than let you fill your heart with darkness."_

"_You would really die for me?"_

"_Does it look like I'm making this up?"_

"_No one's ever done anything like this for me before. No one's ever been willing to die for me."_

"_No one you can remember._

"And I kissed him, it was like magic. Just like that, I remembered him." Snow paused for a few moments to let the story sync in sipping on her tea. "Do you love him?"

"Who?"

"Killian,"

"Oh, well, I- I don't know. It's complicated. I know I care a lot about him but I…"

"Do you trust him?"

_I trust him, he brought me back to Storybrooke when he didn't have to._

_Is that what you think this is about? That I don't trust you? - Is that not what this is about? - Of course I trust you._

"Does Henry like him? Does he like Henry?"

_Thanks Killian, maybe we can go out on your boat again sometime? - Anytime, lad._

_I had no choice she threatened you and your family. I was trying to help. - Telling me what was going on would've been help. - And a death sentence for your boy._

_Well, I'm off to take Henry sailing, love._

"Can you live without him?"

_HOOK!_

_Killian, come back to me_

_I lost everyone. I- I can't lose you too._

Snow had been carefully vigilant of her daughter's countenance. How slowly after each question, her face would soften and she would beam towards the ground. Her eyes were the most prominent of the facial changes though. When she arrived, they looked anxious, worried, and slight puzzlement. However, as the conversation went on they began to sparkle. "Emma," immediately she looked up, looking her in the eyes for the first time since their exchange commenced. Emma opens her mouth to speak, but stops at the sound of the door opening. "I think you're in love with the pirate." her mom continues.

"What about a pirate?" Killian saunters through the door with David only a few steps behind.

"Nothing." Snow grins, raising both eyebrows upwards with her head turned imperceptibly in Emma's vicinity.

Killian's eyes flash between the two women, noticing the small blush forming on Emma's cheek. "You alright, love?"

Emma looks quickly at her mother, they share a smile. She turns to Killian and places a delicate kiss to his cheek. "I'm perfect."


End file.
